MY TOP 15 NEW ENGLAND CITIES

Welcome to the site Jeff, it can be entertaining. Do you know if Bangor's proposed arena is still planned for 5800 permanent seats?
 
Welcome mainejeff. Nice shot of the Bangor new year's eve event. I don't recall the city doing that when I was going to school at Orono but I might have just not heard about it. I would be in favor of Portland having some sort of an official event.

I don't have much to add to this top 15 New England cities list, as I have only been to a handful of them. It's interesting to read the banter though.
 
Patrick said:
words.
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I don't think I can take this conversation any further. We're on completely different pages. If saying that I think Portland's restaurant scene is a bit overrated or that its skyline isn't magnificent is "constant ragging" to you, then we have different definitions of what "constant ragging" is.

My reaction to the Providence post was poor, but the points were all good (which you admitted and others on the forum supported). I see it differently since your opinion of Providence was formed over a brief visit or two and mine of Portland was formed after 4+ years of residency, living and working within the community. But hey, who's counting, right?

That you think I'm the only person who is not overcome with love and is even a bit critical about Portland is the most "laughable" point made yet. Not worth arguing because I know it's hardly the truth. Could it be that anyone with a complaint gets the same kind of response you give any of my complaints? For the record, the reason I don't constantly list the "good things" is because you do that frequently and generally cover everything. Occasionally (really occasionally, like 4 times a year or less... hardly constant) I provide a counter point, but it's clear that you don't enjoy it (note that no one else bitterly refutes my posts like you do). I'm not trying to piss anyone off; so I'll keep any opinion to myself regarding Portland. Not a big loss for me.

I understand Burlington is more isolated than Portland. Portland is far mos isolated than any place I've lived so it's probably relative. 2 hours to Boston isn't exactly a breeze and Portsmouth and Biddeford (while nice) are hardly the cultural or population centers of the universe. I'm surprised you can't understand how someone would feel a bit isolated in Portland since you've felt the same way about a place? I've met people in San Francisco who feel the same way as there are no other major cities for a ways from the Bay Area. It's not a knock on Portland (which, of course, is how you interpret it), it's how I felt.

Anyway, if you believe I'm bitter, by all means go ahead. If you believe civic pride isn't unchecked up there, continue to do so. If you think it's easy to have a conversation with any local about the cons of Portland, enjoy.I find it ironic that you refute that last point when you take every thing I say (including this skyline issue, which is stupid to say the least) so personally. You say it's because I'm "bitter." I think you're one of many who is hypersensitive about anyone who isn't emphatically in love with with your little city. I also think you're delusional if you think I'm the only visitor/ex-resident that feels that way. This banter that started because I don't think the Portland skyline is just the bee's knees (but you're right, I'm probably the bitter one) is getting tired. If you feel the need to continue, I'll respond via direct message. I have no interest in derailing this thread any further over something so irrelevant.
 
Corey said:
Welcome mainejeff. Nice shot of the Bangor new year's eve event. I don't recall the city doing that when I was going to school at Orono but I might have just not heard about it. I would be in favor of Portland having some sort of an official event.

I don't have much to add to this top 15 New England cities list, as I have only been to a handful of them. It's interesting to read the banter though.
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Portland had an official event for a while, but was too rowdy and not family oriented enough, so they changed it to a daytime thing. Not sure what the status is now. Same thing happened to the Old Port festival.
 
Lrfox said:
I don't think I can take this conversation any further. We're on completely different pages. If saying that I think Portland's restaurant scene is a bit overrated or that its skyline isn't magnificent is "constant ragging" to you, then we have different definitions of what "constant ragging" is.

My reaction to the Providence post was poor, but the points were all good (which you admitted and others on the forum supported). I see it differently since your opinion of Providence was formed over a brief visit or two and mine of Portland was formed after 4+ years of residency, living and working within the community. But hey, who's counting, right?

That you think I'm the only person who is not overcome with love and is even a bit critical about Portland is the most "laughable" point made yet. Not worth arguing because I know it's hardly the truth. Could it be that anyone with a complaint gets the same kind of response you give any of my complaints? For the record, the reason I don't constantly list the "good things" is because you do that frequently and generally cover everything. Occasionally (really occasionally, like 4 times a year or less... hardly constant) I provide a counter point, but it's clear that you don't enjoy it (note that no one else bitterly refutes my posts like you do). I'm not trying to piss anyone off; so I'll keep any opinion to myself regarding Portland. Not a big loss for me.

I understand Burlington is more isolated than Portland. Portland is far mos isolated than any place I've lived so it's probably relative. 2 hours to Boston isn't exactly a breeze and Portsmouth and Biddeford (while nice) are hardly the cultural or population centers of the universe. I'm surprised you can't understand how someone would feel a bit isolated in Portland since you've felt the same way about a place? I've met people in San Francisco who feel the same way as there are no other major cities for a ways from the Bay Area. It's not a knock on Portland (which, of course, is how you interpret it), it's how I felt.

Anyway, if you believe I'm bitter, by all means go ahead. If you believe civic pride isn't unchecked up there, continue to do so. If you think it's easy to have a conversation with any local about the cons of Portland, enjoy.I find it ironic that you refute that last point when you take every thing I say (including this skyline issue, which is stupid to say the least) so personally. You say it's because I'm "bitter." I think you're one of many who is hypersensitive about anyone who isn't emphatically in love with with your little city. I also think you're delusional if you think I'm the only visitor/ex-resident that feels that way. This banter that started because I don't think the Portland skyline is just the bee's knees (but you're right, I'm probably the bitter one) is getting tired. If you feel the need to continue, I'll respond via direct message. I have no interest in derailing this thread any further over something so irrelevant.
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Its always a backtrack with you. Slam Portland, then backtrack and blame it on the hypersensitive locals or a delusional mindset that Portland is the center of the Universe. Man Portland sucks....oh, but I never said it was bad, just that it sucks. Sure. It is constant ragging, my friend.
 
Portlander said:
Welcome to the site Jeff, it can be entertaining. Do you know if Bangor's proposed arena is still planned for 5800 permanent seats?
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Yes.....still 5,800 seats (too small!).

They have cut the skybridges and ugly "meeting building"......and moved the convention center from the Bangor Auditorium footprint to the front side of the arena near Main St.

My thoughts are that the skybridge to the Hollywood Slots parking garage was a good idea and definitely needed for the safety of pedestrians parking in that garage and attending arena events across Main St. Something tells me that it may pop up in the final "Final" design if Penn Gaming can pony up some of the $$$ for it. The meeting building was a waste of resources and the convention center has been smartly downsized as well. The big issue I see is the insistence that capacity remain at 5,800 permanent seats (7.5-8K would have been ideal IMO) and that there will be no ice making capabilities installed.......these two deficiencies put the long term viability of this facility at risk before it is even built.
 
At least Bangor will finally have a well deserved first class facility for the region and 5800 seats is only 1000 less than the Civic Center's permanent capacity (hockey) in Portland. And for a city of only 31,000 that is pretty impressive. Am surprised and disappointed to hear that the new arena will not have ice, I'm sure it's related to the Alfond Arena's ability to handle hockey and ice related shows close by. Looks like both venues will be almost identical in seating capacities which I find interesting.
 
Portlander said:
At least Bangor will finally have a well deserved first class facility for the region and 5800 seats is only 1000 less than the Civic Center's permanent capacity (hockey) in Portland. And for a city of only 31,000 that is pretty impressive. Am surprised and disappointed to hear that the new arena will not have ice, I'm sure it's related to the Alfond Arena's ability to handle hockey and ice related shows close by. Looks like both venues will be almost identical in seating capacities which I find interesting.
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"Interesting" is putting it nicely, I find it pretty stupid on Bangor's part to not have more foresight and vision. Let's face it.....this facility will be around for the next 60-70 years. While Bangor's population may only be 30K+.......it serves a market that makes it more like a city with a 100K population. It is a regional destination for retail, entertainment and medical services that draws from as far away as New Brunswick, CA to its North and East.......down past Augusta to its South and West.
 
Totally agree with your point that Bangor is a service center for a vast region that does draw some visitors from New Brunswick. However, I think Saint John and Moncton hold their own pretty well, and both cities have arenas close to size of the CCCC. Not sure how much impact a new arena in Bangor will have on New Brunswick as far as a concert destination, but it will be a huge improvement over the Bangor Auditorium.

I do remember back when the exchange rate was favorable for our friends from Canada, that shoppers would visit the Bangor Mall by the busload. I wonder if the mall and Hollywoods Slots are still viable destination points for residents from New Brunswick area? Guess I could visit the Queen City and cruise the parking lots and count the number of Canadian plates!
 
Just out of curiosity, where did Bangor's nickname of the Queen City come from? Being from Manchester, I associate the nickname with that city, but know that several others, formerly including Seattle, share it. For some reason I thought it typically denoted the largest city in a state that is not the capital, but that's obviously not the case with Bangor.
 
From what I have read, the actual reason has been lost in history. The most reliable reasons that are floating around are: (1) Bangor's inventory of beautiful homes from the 1800's, (2) Bangor's connections with England during it's reign as the "Lumber Capital of the World", (3) After Cincinnati was dubbed the "Queen City of the West", Bangor somehow landed the nickname of "Queen City of the East".

Lived in Bangor in 1970 (Air Force housing) while my father was serving in Vietnam, and I remember learning the "Queen City" nickname in the 6th grade. I always thought the term was unofficially given to the second most important/largest city in the state. However, growing up in North Carolina, Charlotte was and still is the Queen City and it is by far the largest city in NC.

On Wikipedia, there are around 20 cities in the United States that lay claim to the nickname. Some notables are Burlington, VT, Helena, MT, Sioux Falls, SD, Buffalo, NY, Springfield, MO, Allentown, PA, and as you mentioned, Manchester and Seattle. Seattle ditched the nickname in 1982 for the "Emerald City", which was a good chamber of commerce move due to all of the Queen City wannabes!
 
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Thanks for the info; interesting to hear. I am personally fond of the Queen City nickname both for my hometown in general. In one sense, its ubiquity makes it impossible to ever use in a wide context, but on the other hand that seems more like a friendly, intimate nickname used by residents and locals.
 
In Manchester's case, I prefer the "Queen City" nickname over the more recent "Manchvegas" title! And for the record, I would not put Manchester on the list of wannabe QC towns, that is reserved for the newer cities out west that should have know better and came up with something more original :)
 
My understanding is that the name Queen City is given to the city with the largest population which is not the capital. Not sure how Bangor got the nickname (and this fact is new to me). Maybe it applies to all second largest cities when the largest is in fact the capital (as was the case with Portland in Maine for a while before it switched to Augusta). I don't know. Even then, though, Lewiston has been larger since around 1880. Maybe the name originated before Lewiston surpassed Bangor in the 19th century in population.
 
Was wondering what happened to you Patrick, this site is not the same without your input. Welcome back to winter!
 
As someone from York County, I think there's a lot of resentment down there about Portland. Not jealousy, but more ambivalence. Part of it is the middle child syndrome, being wedged between Portland and Greater Boston (which is getting closer every day).

There is just a general arrogance of many Portlanders, which is hard to understand. Given Maine's population as a whole, Portland's relative diminutive size compared to other New England population centers, I've always had trouble understanding what's so great about being the tallest midget.
 
apa99 said:
As someone from York County, I think there's a lot of resentment down there about Portland. Not jealousy, but more ambivalence. Part of it is the middle child syndrome, being wedged between Portland and Greater Boston (which is getting closer every day).

There is just a general arrogance of many Portlanders, which is hard to understand. Given Maine's population as a whole, Portland's relative diminutive size compared to other New England population centers, I've always had trouble understanding what's so great about being the tallest midget.
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You would get along with someone else on this forum well...

As far as the arrogance, I wonder if it is coming from people who actually live within the city (which I suspect it isn't) or rather if it is coming from some of those who are a bit wealthier (a relative term, for sure) and live just outside the City to take advantage of its more upper-class amenities (food, drink, shows, art). If it is the second group, they are usually arrogant in general.

And then there's the fact that even midgets have a pecking order. :)

Seriously, though, I think if indeed your perceptions are correct, and if they come from those who actually reside in the city as opposed to just outside of it, then I think the issue isn't so much that Portlanders arrogantly think this city is the best, but that (and this is true), compared to almost anywhere (anywhere, actually) else in the State, it provides more to do. Look at the other population centers...one has to go to Portsmouth for anything close to the Old Port (a great city by the way, actually rivaling the Old Port but without a nearby CBD), and anything else is just outlet shopping or outdoor rec.

Would you agree?
 
apa99, from my personal perspective I think it is mostly civic pride with just a touch of arrogance. Portland's appearance on numerous "national" top ten lists of best cities shows that it is not just a local or regional appreciation it has earned. When your favorite city, team, player, automoblie, or recording artist (to name a few) receives accolades and recognition you tend to acquire bragging rights. If your favorite "passion" does not win anything, it is hard to be arrogant.

Though Portland is my favorite city, I am very aware of it's strengths and weaknesses which have been explained in previous posts. Placing it #8 in my list of top 15 New England cities shows I applied a dose of realism to my thought process instead of siding with loyalty. Portland is a wonderful city in my opinion because of what it offers in spite of it's modest city population (64K). However,it's MSA population exceeds 516K which ranks #99 in the country which I and others find very respectable. In addition, Portland's natural physical beauty, a terraced peninsula located on the coast of Maine puts it near the top of most people's lists when it comes down to being visually aesthetic and an overall great location to build a city.

You mentioned Portland's diminutive size. My favorite analogy to this topic is as follows: People who live in Fort Kent go to Presque Isle for their bigger city needs, Presque Isle heads to Bangor, Bangor residents drop down to Portland, we visit Boston, and Bostonians shuffle off to New York, and I guess New Yorkers fly to Tokyo. It's all relative! We all pick where we live for various reasons but if size is a priority, you have to find your comfort level. Have lived in Philadelphia on the big end and Connellsville, PA on the small end, and every city size in between. I personally would not be happy living in a city much larger than Portland, and I know living in a smaller city would not work at all. :)
 
1. Pittsfield
2. Lawrence
3. Pawtucket
4. Springfield
5. Holyoke
6. Haverhill
7. New Bedford
8. Fall River
9. Fitchburg
10. Brockton
11. Lynn
12. Saugus
13. Chelsea


Elite world class cities. One even has a major sport's hall of fame, and another will even be the site of the New England FBI headquarters.
 
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